Drawers



(No Model.) 2-Sheets- -Sheet 1.

R. E. HILL. DRAWERS.

No. 454,736. Patented June 23, 1891.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

R. E. HILL.

DRAWERS.

No. 454,7se. PatentedJun 2a, 1891 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROMULUS E. HILL, OF EVANS'ION, ILLINOIS.

DRAWERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 454,736, dated June 23, 1891.

Application filed December 2, 1889. Serial No. 332,360. (No model.)

TmaZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ROMULUs E. HILL, of Evanston, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Drawers, &c., of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to the manufacture of drawers, trousers, tights, overalls, &c.; and it consists in the peculiar construction of the same at the crotch, whereby the latter is rendered elastic and adjustable to the various strains which may come upon it, thereby avoiding the tearing and damaging of the unyielding seams and contributing to the comfort and convenience of the wearer, and whereby, also, a greater economy is obtained in the cutting and fitting of the garments, and variations in the size of the waist is ob tained without materially altering the pattern of the leg-sections.

Figure 1 is afront view of a pair of drawers with my invention applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a rear view of the same. Fig. 3 is an inside view with one of the legs of the drawers elevated. Fig. 4 is an inside central view with the legs spreadapart, and Fig. 5 is an outline view of the blank or inserted crotchpiece spread out in a straight plane.

0, Fig. 5, is the piece to be inserted in the crotch. The general shape of this piece is that of a barbed arrow-head, whose point 5 fits between the le -sections at the waistband in the rear, whosebarbs 3 4 form gussets that extend down the leg-seams on the inside, and whose ends A A extend up in front on each side of the slit or placket-opening. The edges A A Fig. 5, are attached to the front of the garment upon opposite sides of the slit by means of seams along the lines A B. The width of the fabric from 1 to 2 is about two inches, and being made of elastic material such as knit fabricis capable of stretching five to seven inches without perceptible tension or discomfort to the wearer; This is especially adapted to the requirements of the masculine anatomy and gives ample fullness to any one using it, and will adjust itself alike on either side to the extent required.

Referring to Fig. 2, the broadest part of the inserted piece may be seen as coming where the greatest fullness is required, while the points 1 3 and 2 4 extend down the inseam of form gussets. The effect of these gussets is to produce more fullness in the crotch, and also to relieve the scam in the legs at these points of their unyielding character and render all parts flexible and elastic.

In applying the piece 0 it is not intended to be put on over the other material of the garment, but it is inserted in the same plane as the rest of the goods, and separating the leg-sections a. distance equal to its width. The material of which it is made is preferably a loosely-knitted elastic stock; but itmay, as well as the body of the garment, be made of any desirable material.

It is well known that when an edge of fabric is lapped over another and stitched a strongand unyielding re-enforcement is made at the seam thus formed,which, when located at the crotch, results in uncomfortable binding and chafing and destructive tearings un der strain. My inserted section, it will be seen, extends from the waistband in the rear down under the crotch to the waistband in front, entirely separating the two leg-sections the legs, as better shown in Figs. 3 and 4, to

from each other, and also extends down between the inseams of the leg, thus giving fullness to the crotch in both front and rear and also down the legs, and relieving all discomfort and destructive strains.

In defining my invention with greater clearness I would state that I am aware that it is not new to apply elastic and also re-enforcing gores to the crotch of-bifurcated garments,

and I make no claim to this broad idea.

I am also aware that it is not new to apply a seam strengthener or stay to pantaloons which is in the nature of an applied piece lapping over on top of the seam and extending from the waistband in the rear to the buttonfiy in front. My invention 'is not a seam strengthener, stay, or re-enforce which adds to the strength and unyielding qualities of the seam; but it does away with the usual crotch-seam, and is an inserted piece which extends from the waistband in the rear around under the crotch to the waistband in front, extending on both sides of the slit of the placket-opening, and entirely separating the material of the two leg-sections. The advantage of this is not only to give perfect elasticity and fullness, as before described; but by varying the size of the inserted piece the waist measure may be increased or diminished without altering the leg pattern or changing its form, which would involve a more wasteful cut of the material. The crotch-piece in my invention is formed of the material cut out between the crotch and the ankles, and by utilizing this piece the greatest economy is had. Furthermore, in fitting the crotch-piece in all garments, except tights, the V-shaped notch between the tongues A A forms the terminus of the bottom of the slit of the placket-opening, while the tongues AA extend up on opposite sides of the said placket-opening. From this it will be seen that the seam at the bottom of the placket-opening and the inside seams A B of the leg-section are not coincident, but disconnected, thus furnishing an elasticity and degree of movement between the two which avoids drawing strains in front, and further adds to the comfort and elasticity of the garment.

In making use of my invention I do not confine myself to the gussets extending down the inseams of the legs, as in some cases I may dispense with the same.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is I 1. The combination, with the leg-sections in a bifurcatedgarment extending upwardly at the sides to the waistband, of an inserted crotch-piece lying between the le -sections and extending from a point in the rear up to and forming the bottom of the placket-opening in front, with the seams which unite said crotch-piece to the leg-sections arranged exclusively inside the legs, but out of alignment with the middle line of the placketopening and an equal distance from said middle line on each side, whereby the bottom of the placket-opening is left elastic at the space between the seams of the crotch-piece, and a ROMULUS E. HILL.

WVit-nesses:

Lnsrnn O. NEWELL, MYER LIPPMAN. 

